1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to physical therapy devices. More particularly, the present invention is related to devices for administering traction to regions such as the neck and or lumbar region of a patient. Even more particularly, the present invention is related to traction devices for home or office use which provide the option of administering traction in either a cyclical or non-cyclical manner. The present invention also pertains to force transferring devices which can be used in various therapeutic and/or exercise applications.
2. Description of Relevant Art
The need for suitable reliable force transferring devices suitable for use in a variety of therapeutic and/or exercise situations has been contemplated. Such devices can be efficaciously utilized in various traction devices adapted to deliver therapeutic traction force to anatomical regions such as spinal regions including the cervical spinal region, the lumbar spinal region, and the like.
The need for simple, low cost cervical traction devices which can be used at home to administer cervical traction to provide relief to patients with various musculo-skeletal disorders of the neck and back is well recognized. Heretofore there have been developed a great number of head halters or other devices which apply cervical traction through the head of the patient. Many of these devices engage the jaw of the patient while surrounding the head. These type of halters not only inhibit the ability of the patient to talk, they also cause aggravation of the temporomandibular (TMJ) points. As a device for administering cervical traction, these devices are less than desirable. Jaw-type head halters of this type pull from an axis offset from the spine and thereby apply an undesirable twisting moment (cervical extension) to the patient's head and neck contrary to most types of desired cervical traction. In most types of cervical traction situations, it is desirable to engage the head of the patient at the occipital area of the head rather than the chin so that the pulling axis is in straight alignment with the spine and so that the pulling force is concentrated along the posterior of the head where it is most beneficial.
Other types of devices for engaging the head to correct neck problems are cervical braces. Such braces, which are referred to as “halo type”, actually contact the patient's head with pointed screws which are forced inward through the skin to make contact with the bone of the skull. Aside from the obvious pain which a patient must endure when this type of brace is employed, the potential for infection to the person's head at the points where the skin is broken is ever present.
In order to obtain effective cervical traction, heretofore, it has been necessary to go to a physical therapy department or office. At such locations cervical traction was applied using complex devices such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,109 to Saunders which was reissued as RE 32,791. Such devices could be used to apply cervical traction. However, they were of limited value because their complexity meant that traction therapy was available to the patient only at limited locations where such devices could be permanently installed. As a result, the patient was able to obtain cervical traction less often than would have been desirable not only because of the inconvenience of having to go to such locations at only the appointed times but also because of the expense.
Therefore, it is highly desirable to provide a cervical traction device applying tractive force in a manner heretofore only available in a physical therapist's office which can be used by the patient at home at various intervals throughout the day so that the patient, with or without assistance, can receive the equivalent therapeutic benefits associated with more frequent cervical traction use. Unfortunately, many cervical traction devices for home use which have been developed previously are either extremely cumbersome, rely on jaw-type head halters, or fail to provide sufficient cervical traction force in a safe manner to be truly beneficial to the patient. Examples of such devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,043 to Jones; U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,881 to Pope; U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,489 to Zivi; U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,485 to Swanson; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,026 to Spinks. Furthermore, none of the cervical traction devices for home use offer an effective tension cycling option.
Heretofore, most traction systems previously developed, employ actual weight members and pulley systems to exert the desired tractive force to apply cervical traction. Because these systems employ drop weights, various protection systems have been suggested to protect against or minimize shock force as the weight is raised or lowered. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,876 to D'Amico. Such systems tend to be complicated and generally require external mounting to a wall or door unit. Mounting such weight bearing systems directly to the treatment table is difficult as the effectiveness of the traction device is reduced when weights bearing members are positioned too closely to the treatment table.
Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a cervical traction device which would deliver traction force in the case of cervical traction. Such force is delivered through the skull proximate to the occiput region. Other therapeutic traction force may be delivered to suitable regions as desired or required. It is also desirable that the device provide traction force in a manner which is safe and beneficial to the patient-user. It is also desirable to provide a traction device and method for using the same which permits control over the course of physical therapy and its administration in concert with a program recommended by a patient's physician and physical therapist.
Finally, it is desirable that the traction device be one which can include a wall or table-mounted weightless tractive force device which can be readily and easily employed in a variety of situations.